Black, White & Shades of Grey
by xlittleminxx
Summary: SylarClaire and PeterClaire. AU. One boy she's sleeping with. The other one she's in love with. Read more inside!
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Black, White & Shades of Grey

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapters** 1/?

**Pairing:** Sylar/Claire, Peter/Claire, Isaac/Claire (family)

**Spoilers:** Basically nothing – just that Claire is adopted. The rest is AU

**Warnings:** None I can think of

**Short Summary:** AU. In this twisted world it is not always easy to see things as what they are. Black and white. No shades of grey. So how can this be sin? Claire's in love with one boy, sleeping with the other and family of another. But oh how things unravel…

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything…except maybe this computer I'm writing on…

**Authors note:** So I told you I'm writing a Paire/Sylaire fic…well here is the first chapter. I don't know whether I was happy with my own fic…so hehe… Also in my rush to get this out…this chapter is unbetad and all faults are mine. (Will have a banner next time I post)

Chapter 1

In this twisted world it is not always easy to see things as what they are.

Black and white.

No shades of grey.

So how can this be sin?

oOoOoOoOoOo

Two years ago Claire Bennet had had a very painful discussion with her adoptive father. She was 18, ready to really know who her parents were. Noah Bennet had told her with an unreadable (maybe even sour) expression on his face.

Her mother was Meredith Gray and her father was Fernando Mendez – a married man who had slept with the wrong woman at the wrong time. His wife and 10 year old son knew nothing about it…and so when Fernando died in a terrible car accident, the secret of his love-child died with him. Meredith had been killed in a fire not to long after that.

A bloody fire, Claire had thought as her mind had wandered back to the time when she had purposely run into a fire.

Claire Bennet was a force to be reckoned with when she put her mind to something. So a week after she had heard the news, she looked up the only living Mendez left in America.

Isaac Mendez had been nothing like what she had expected.

There was no resemblance to her, no shade of grey when it came to what her dad – his dad – their dad had done. Yet Isaac had not held her responsible for it.

"My…our father was always away from home. I wasn't stupid and neither was my mother."

"Then why stay with him?"

"Because it had been the only thing she knew how to do."

Claire understood, black and white and shades of grey.

Claire understood it all too well.

He painted the future.

That's how he had known she would come.

She pressed a knife to her wrist and watched it bleed as his panicked eyes swept over her.

The wound took mere seconds to heal – as quickly as his protectiveness over her had come.

Black, white and shades of grey.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Her eyes flutter open to present time – her memories obliterated in seconds as she rubbed her eyes. She felt the cold even before she had noticed the lack of body next to her. Claire couldn't see him but still she pulled the blankets closer around her naked body. He must have noticed her shaking because his jacket was around her shoulders even before she had time to react.

Damn telekinetic.

"You're leaving."

It's not a question and he's well aware of it. Still he continues to pull up his pants.

"Your brother is waking up soon. We both know if he catches me here…" there's a quiet laughter in his voice and she sighs because she knows what he is thinking. She doesn't have to be Matt to read his mind. He wants Isaac to find him there, wants to see the pure torture when her brother realizes that she isn't a little angel anymore. That at 20 she's sleeping with one of his best friends. One of his roommates. And the stubborn bad boy at that. But Claire doesn't say a word about it because he knows all to well why she keeps it a secret.

"How do you know?" she decides on that – because she knows he's waiting for a comeback.

"I can hear him. I hear his heartbeat. Everyone's heartbeats change during different stages of sleep. Isaac's heartbeat is becoming faster as his body and mind start to come back to life. _His_ – " he stops, because they have this rule not to say his name in her bedroom. Not after they have sex. "heartbeat is slower tonight, rhythmic – like he's having a good dream."

Claire stares at him from under her lashes as he walks to her, his clothes all on now.

"What do I bet you that you're wishing it was you he was dreaming of? No, not a normal dream. Little Claire Bennet wants it to be a wetdream about her." His smirk is wide and Claire punches him so hard she hears bones breaking in her hand but she isn't worried as it knits itself back.

"Bastard." But the exclamation has lost its power and his smile drops as he bends down to kiss her. At the last moment Claire turns away and his kiss lands on her cheek.

He sighs loudly, tired of her mood swings and its fine with both of them. He'll make side long comments the rest of the day and their roommates will get fed up and tell him to shut up. Maybe _he'll_even stand up for her and it will make Claire's day and then he'll stop with his comments because that's all he tries to do – get a reaction out of _him_.

Because when they started this they knew there were no I love you's to be traded between them. Claire loved _him _and he was just a distraction for her – someone to cling onto for the fact that she couldn't have _him._

His at the door before she can blink her eyes, his jacket off of her shoulders and around his shirtless body and Claire knows he's sexy. Everyone knows.

"If today's a good day…I won't see you tonight." She comments from her place in the bed and he smiles as he lifts his finger and the sheets moved closer to her, giving her the warmth she lacked.

"Then let's hope it's a bad day." He turns and she tries to get a word in but he's to fast and he knows she wants to make a comment.

"Get some sleep Claire." He says tiredly and it's not because he's tired but because he wishes he could stay in her bed and give her the comfort she seeks so strongly from someone else.

The door is halfway closed when he hears her soft whisper – only audible to his ears.

"Thank you Sylar."

And right at that moment, Peter Petrelli's heartbeat jumps.

**A/N: Just so you guys know –cause this chapter is confusing – Claire is sleeping with Sylar and in love with Peter. Sylar is talking about Peter when he says Claire wants him (Peter) to dream of her. Sorry but I needed to explain that.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"What the hell are you two doing!" Isaac's distressed yells broke through Claire's thoughts and she suppressed a smile as she walked into the large lofts living room. Sylar and Peter were caught up in a heavy battle – both levitated above the ground as their opponent kept them levitated through telekinesis. Isaac seemed to grow older by the second until Peter saw Claire from the side and dropped Sylar.

"I give."

Sylar's grin was enough to make Claire burst out laughing and when Peter smiled at her Sylar gave her a silent nod – showing that he would not be a jerk around her today.

"Did you sleep well Claire?" Peter asked concerned as she sat down on the large sofa, grabbing her brother's cereal before he could respond. Sylar didn't react but Claire could swear she saw his eyes jump to hers.

"Yeah thanks Peter." Her eyes are connected with his longer than they should be.

Shades.

This was totally a shade of grey.

And before she knew it, Isaac was off to the art gallery and Sylar was at the door.

"Where are you off to?" she asked as she excited her bedroom and he grinned – he was the only one that ever went into her bedroom.

"Off to play the villain and irritate Mohinder." He looked around before he leaned forward and placed a rough kiss on her mouth.

"Lover boy is in the shower."

And he was gone.

Leaving Claire with Peter.

Alone.

Oh God.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Claire didn't know exactly when she had fallen in love with Peter Petrelli. Between the constant fighting with Sylar and trying to bond with Isaac she had somehow, beyond any comprehension, fallen for her brother's best friend.

Fallen so hard that if not for her power she would be dead.

He was handsome and a gentleman and everything her ex-boyfriends were not. Sure he was older, 10 years older to be exact, but Claire looked past that. Peter treated her with love and respect and made her feel like life couldn't get better.

Except on the days he brought home girlfriends.

The first time he brought home a girlfriend was Simone – whatever her surname was – and Claire had run out of the house faster than they could blink. Simone didn't last long, but that wasn't the point. Claire climbed into Peter's car – why his she didn't know – and drove.

Then it happened.

Later she would tell them she hadn't seen the cliff or the warning signs or even the big flashing sign that said "Road Closed". But Claire saw them all too well and she stepped even harder on the accelerator.

Black and white…everything was just black and white.

There were no shades of grey now.

Death was elementary, something that tied them all together – something that tied her to Peter. Claire was white; Peter was black. There was no grey.

Sometime afterwards Claire woke up to find Sylar standing in front of her as she lay on the grass. In the distance Peter's completely destroyed car blazed a deep hue of orange. Sylar had saved her, gone looking for her when Peter had realized his car was gone.

Peter was looking for her too, but Sylar told her that he felt it would be better if he found her and not someone she had obviously run from.

Her bones took a long time to heal and blood had stained every piece of her body. There was no white now.

Only dark red.

Sylar had made a sidelong comment of it being the bloodiest accident he had ever seen and Peter would be pissed about the car. It was meant as a joke, but still it made the long awaited tears fall.

Claire had fallen asleep in Sylar's arms in the middle of nowhere and he had taken her home, ignoring Peter who had been pacing at the front door.

"You could have called."

"Oh god there's so much blood."

"Is she okay?"

It was the first time Sylar realized how in love those two actually were.

Stupid people.

Claire woke up in his arms and he took her to her huge bathroom and locked them in. Slowly and with caution he climbed, fully clothed, into the shower with her and gently washed away the blood.

That night was the start of their affair.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Peter watched her from the loft's stairs to his room and sighed. She was beautiful and he was in love.

To Peter Petrelli – this area was as grey as it could be.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"You and Sylar seem to getting along better." Peter commented as he sat down next to Claire. She didn't flinch, just stared at him from under her lashes and feigned innocence.

"Sylar and me? Never." And Peter laughed because the way she said it was genuinely funny.

He didn't say anything about the car. He never had. Peter had just called his brother and told him he's car had been totaled. The next day a brand new one stood outside the loft. And Peter couldn't get his mind around the fact that he was in love with her.

Or why he chose to ignore it.

"So what was this morning about – you know the part where you almost gave Isaac a heart attack?" Claire laughed as she threw a lock of her hair over her shoulder and for a second Peter didn't realize what she had said.

"Uh oh the fight Sylar and I had?"

"Yeah."

"We were pushing ourselves…seeing to what limits we could go. Sometimes we just do it for fun, other times it's to keep our powers in check." He explained and Claire nodded.

Sylar and Peter were so alike it was scary. They had the same ability – mimic other powers – but with one difference. Peter absorbed power through being close to a person; Sylar had to physically touch that person. But for whatever reason Claire was glad they had yet to meet Matt Parkman. Claire really wouldn't feel comfortable if they could both read her mind.

"Don't you have something to do today?" she asked casually and Peter placed his arms behind his head as he leaned back into the couch. Licking her lips she turned her face from his to hide her embarrassment.

Peter contemplated the question before he answered, "Whatever you have in my mind – that's what I'm doing today." Claire lifted her eyebrow and Peter smirked his goofy smirk.

"It's a Claire and Peter day." He explained light heartedly and she giggled.

"A Paire day!" it was met by confusion and Claire blushed.

"What is a Paire? I know I'm older than you but even I should know what you're talking about." Peter continued and Claire shook her head.

"Let's just leave it – it doesn't mean anything." But as Peter nodded his head Claire's face fell and she couldn't help but feel a bit saddened at the fact that he didn't fight harder to find out what the truth was.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Peter took her shopping.

That had been the greatest thing ever for Claire. He had taken her shopping and had not once complained about the time she was taking or what else he could do with the time. In fact, he spent most of the morning sitting in the dressing room judging her choice of clothes and ended up buying all her clothes.

Not that Claire knew.

She was to proud to let him pay for anything so Peter always changed her card with his when it came to payment. It was good for him – to show his love for her in some way that it wasn't truly obvious. He guessed that she knew about it, her bank statements were obviously never showing what she thought she had spent. But a sort of truce had formed and neither one challenged the other on the money.

Claire bought two dresses, one jacket and a mini-skirt that hadn't exactly sit to well with Peter.

"Isn't that just a bit –"

"A bit what?" she challenged and Peter gulped.

"Short."

He had expected her to be angry, to tell him to stop invading her space, but she just smiled and said with a tiny voice that she would only wear it inside the house. But she put it back anyways.

It was only at home that she noticed it lying at the bottom of the packages – bought by Peter.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sylar didn't come to her room for over a week. Peter had stayed with her at home the whole week and they had a ball of a time. Of course, nothing had happened, but neither Claire nor Peter really believed there would.

The next day Peter brought home Candice.

She had dark hair and dark eyes (something that was a trait of Simone, Claire couldn't help but remember) and they had smiled and laughed softly in the living room. It made Claire sick to her stomach. Sylar wasn't there, still at his job – working with Mohinder – and Isaac didn't know precisely how she felt. So Claire was alone, having to watch them.

It was like dying a thousand deaths in one go.

Candice tried to make small talk with Claire and Claire had to give her a point for trying. But it didn't work. They had no interests to share other than she too had a power. But that was where the similarities ended and Claire couldn't help but wonder if Peter liked girls with dark hair. She mentally made a note to buy hair colour.

She asked about Claire's love life and the room had gone eerily silent.

Isaac excused himself from the conversation.

Candice waited for an answer.

Claire tried not to burst out in tears.

And Peter sat on the edge of his chair, waiting to hear her answer.

But the answer never came, because in one swift motion the door opened to reveal a very pissed off Sylar on the phone.

"Who does he think he is, throwing a toaster at my head! I should have pressed my hand into his brain and pulled a few – "

Silence overtook him as he turned to the very tense trio.

The phone was off in a matter of seconds and Sylar took his place next to Claire. Mockingly he grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap, knowing full well Peter would have to say something because Peter knew Claire hated it. Right at that moment though Candice leaned in to whisper something in Peter's ear and he didn't choke out a comment.

Claire made up an excuse and almost ran to the room.

Sylar stayed and watched as Peter's eyes followed Claire's body all the way down the hall, the sparkle in them disappearing with each hurried step she took.

Candice reminded Peter that they had the dinner to go to and she made her way outside to the car. Sylar caught Peter's arm before he could walk out.

"What's this I see? A date?" he mocked and Peter shook his head.

"Family benefit dinner. It's purely platonic." Peter insisted and Sylar cocked an eyebrow at him.

"You could have taken Claire, you know she would have loved it."

Peter and Sylar stared at each other. There was no reaction to his statement and Sylar was tired of waiting for it. He sighed and turned away.

"Have fun banging the hell out of your platonic friend."

Swinging the door closed behind him.

Claire was lying in the bed when he made his way to the room. She wasn't sleeping but still he crept under the sheets as if she was.

"I don't want to have sex tonight." She uttered matter-of-factly and Sylar nodded in understanding.

"I'm just going to lay here." She turned to him, lying on her side, and gave him a confused expression.

"You never lay here." Sylar smiled.

"Then maybe I should do it more often…"

Before either one of them knew it Claire was asleep on Sylar's chest and Peter was having the worst time of his life with Candice.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Claire cursed under her breath when she noticed her bedroom door standing a jar. She had always locked it – since the first night she had slept there – and only she and Sylar had a key. Sylar never really used his outside of the occasional quickie. But Claire couldn't think of another reason why he would want to go into her room.

Isaac wasn't in the house and neither was Peter – which only left Sylar hiding in his mysterious room.

The room was dark and it wasn't until her eyes grew accustomed to the dark that Claire's anger slid away and was replaced by amazement. She had never seen something like this in real life – she had only seen it twice, and in movies both times. So magical it seemed unreal that it was for her.

Thousands of rose petals lay flung across her bed. It felt more like there were millions but Claire was mesmerized by all of it. On the bed lay a note that Claire grabbed so quickly she could hear one of her muscles snapping.

_Claire_

_My one true love_

_Xoxox_

No name, no signature, typed so you couldn't see who had written it.

But Claire knew there was only one guy that could have done it.

Sylar walked out of his room, whistling at the good luck he had. Mohinder had given him the day off and he had no intention of wasting it. It was only by luck that he noticed Claire's door was open and he leaned on the doorframe as he looked in.

"Wow." He smirked as he noticed the roses and Claire turned to his voice. Within seconds her arms were around his neck, pulling him towards the bed.

"Now sweetheart…getting kinky during the day!" Sylar laughed as her lips latched onto his neck and Sylar had to bite on his tongue to stop from moaning. The door wasn't even closed and already she had started separating Sylar from his clothes. Naturally Sylar was all for it, not daring to ask any questions and cause her to stop. But one question had to be asked.

"Why the sudden interest?" he breathed into her neck as he relieved her from her skirt. Claire was already down to just her underwear and Sylar wasn't far from it.

"It's – it's a thank you." She groaned as Sylar stilled his actions.

"For what?"

"For the roses and the note silly." Claire giggled as she pulled him closer but Sylar wasn't smiling.

"I didn't send them."

Claire didn't even have a moment to interpret what he had said when something smashed against the floor and both Sylar and Claire jumped up.

"I sent them." Peter's harsh voice came through and Claire wished that she could die at that very moment. Peter's eyes were black as the night and his face was set in a painful and heartbreaking expression. He glared at them before he turned around and stomped away.

"Peter, man wait!" Sylar yelled out as he ran after his friend who slammed the front door closed in his face.

Claire stared at her feet as Isaac stared down at her. He had no facial expression – none what so ever – and that scared Claire more than anything. Isaac made his way towards her clothes and threw them at her, not caring how harsh or hard he threw it.

"Get dressed!" he growled, Claire cringing as her brother made his way out of the room. By the time Sylar made his way back into the room Claire was dressed and completely broken in the bathroom.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

There was only one thing Claire was grateful for – she was grateful for Peter's stubbornness that made him refuse to move out of the loft. But still he refused to look his former friend and his former… whatever Claire was to him… in the eyes. Peter kept to himself, locked in his room where the only sounds that could be heard were the smashing of furniture. Isaac didn't even flinch anymore.

Isaac had given Sylar an ultimatum after the incident – move out or be kicked out. It had cost Claire hours of begging and explaining to finally get her brother to agree to let Sylar stay. But even as she won the battle, she knew the war was lost to her. Her brother and the love of her life could not stand to look at her.

Sylar had always joked about her brother finding out his little sister wasn't innocent anymore, but Claire saw in his eyes what the loss of friendship meant to him. He threw himself into his work, the comfort he could always give her disappearing with each painful day.

"Lying together is for people who are in love. This is just sex Claire, nothing else."

His words had been purposefully painful and heart wrenching – knowing full well what affect it would have on Claire. After all, it had been her fault that he had fallen so helplessly in love with her when he was never supposed too.

Two weeks after being caught in the act, Claire caught Sylar with two bags over his shoulders, making his way out of the loft.

"You look like you're carrying pieces of a body." She faked a giggle and Sylar stared at her as he launched the bags into his car.

"I'd rather eat brains." The comment was filled with an eerie tone, causing Claire to shiver at his brutal image.

"Where are you going?" Claire's soft voice spoke from closer to him, laying her hand on his shoulder. Sylar stopped his movement but did not dare to turn towards her.

"Moving out."

"No. No, you're not." Her voice was stern but Sylar didn't waver.

"Yes I am Claire. We both know I can't stay here." Shrugging off her hand he turned towards her and for the first time in forever Claire realized how much taller he was than her.

"You're a coward! I had to beg my brother to let you stay and here you are running – leaving me to deal with everything!" Claire's volume grew which only ignited the flames between them – heading for a major explosion.

"I'm not your god dammed hero Claire! I don't have to fucken protect you all right! Get your bloody prince charming to protect you." There was an awkward silence at his sudden outburst as both their eyes fell on his glowing hands…the only power he had yet to completely get control over. Sylar had not believed he could actually let his anger out, Claire could not believe he had held it all in for so long. Tears streamed down her face as she placed her hand in his open palm, watching as her hands burned with his.

Her voice was barely audible as she spoke, watching as his hands stopped glowing and the skin regrew. "I never knew…"

His hand was out from under hers in seconds, the door slamming closed behind him. Sylar stared straight ahead as he spoke.

"It was stupid of me to even think you loved anyone as much as you love him. Take care of yourself Bennet."

And without another glance, Sylar drove out of her life.

Claire didn't react for the longest time – just stood staring at the empty parking place as all of Sylar's words sunk into her thoughts. He was in love with her – it was so painfully obvious and yet she had not even seen it coming. All her memories of them together swam into her mind and in each one she now recognized all the looks she had been unable to read.

It was with a shocking heartbreaking breath that Claire realized a part of her was in love with him too.

The thought of being in love with two men at the same time seemed ridiculous to her – but it was real. She knew Peter would always be her main love – the man she imagined herself marrying and having children with. But Sylar – he had a big place in her heart too.

Claire sunk down onto the pavement as she realized she had just lost both of the loves of her live. The blinding tears came soon after and pretty soon Claire was sobbing on the sidewalk. Pure exhaustion set in after a while – her body finally letting all the emotional turmoil get to her – and Claire didn't move from her place.

Fifteen minutes later, Peter picked Claire up and carried her to his room where she slept the night through.

**A/N: Nope not the last you're going to be seeing of Sylar. He's going to be back real soon.**


	7. Author's Note

Latest update as to where I am and what will be happening with my stories:

**Latest update as to where I am and what will be happening with my stories:**

**Wow. It's been a while since I replied/wrote any stories. But here's the 411 as to what is going on, so none of you are out of the loop. The sad news for me is that Varsity/College is taking up all my time. Yeah, I don't even have time to check because of it and it sucks but I chose to come and do this. I'm studying a very difficult course and this being my first year in dorms, I'm also tied down to all first year activities. Which means there is no such thing as free time - and when there is, its usually spent studying for the next test. This has also given me some, probably well deserved, forced writers block to keep me from writing anything. Sure, I've tried, but it all comes out crap to me. But, hopefully, I'll be able to get past my forced writers block and write something soon. I'd like you to take a moment and to message me what stories you'd like to see continued - for those I will check out first to see what I can do about it. Otherwise, all stories that have not been updated will go on a permanent hiatus. I give you all a while to decide, comment or send me a message and if you have any ideas - PMs are ALWAYS welcome. Thanks for staying true to my stories!**

**M**


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